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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEI Provider Meeting Minutes 04-19-23Early Intervention Provider Meeting Wednesday, April 19, 2023 Staff Present: Jennifer Hawbecker, Stacey Brookens, Katrina Ross, Kristina Powers, Erin Nye Providers Present: Rachel Bechtel (Aspirations), Theresa Miller (HealthPro Pediatrics), Deborah Marsilio (Inspire Health and Education), Jennifer Consorti & Joanne LaSalle (Invo HealthCare), Lauren Everetts (Moving Mountains), Krista Miracle (Pediatric Therapy Specialists), Cynthia Bosserman (PennCares), Holly Whiteside (Service Access & Management), Mikala Bower (UCP of Central PA) MEETING MINUTES Welcome and Introductions This meeting was held via Google Meet. All providers introduced themselves and their agency affiliations. Provider Updates and Announcements  Invo HealthCare – Jennifer Consorti & Joanne LaSalle Stefany Messina, Program Manager has left. Joanne LaSalle is filling her role. Invo just on boarded a new Physical Therapist (PT). The hope is she is ready to start services next week.  Moving Mountains – Lauren Everetts The last provider meeting, Lauren was waiting on training and onboarding of a Special Instructor (SI) and Speech Therapist. She is still waiting on a Medical Assistance (MA) number but has accepted her first Fulton County individual.  Pediatric Therapy Specialist (PTS) – Krista Miracle PTS has brought on three (3) new Occupational Therapists (OT) part time who will eventually be full time once they finish their other jobs. Chris Kimmel is covering the Chambersburg, Greencastle and Waynesboro area; Paige Richardson is covering Greencastle; and Morgan Klink is covering the Cumberland/Shippensburg area. As another is brought on full time, Morgan will move more to the Cumberland area and the others will cover Franklin County.  PennCares – Cynthia Bosserman PennCares continues to look for additional therapists. Learn & Play Day is May 6th. PennCares will be setting up with the Local Interagency Coordinating Council (LICC) and helping them out.  Service Access & Management (SAM) – Holly Whiteside The Service Coordinators (SC) at SAM are Rachel Lane, Raquel Santos, Michelle Markel and Madison Ford. Heather Cook was going to be the full time Tioga County virtual SC due to difficulty with staffing but when Cara left last month, Heather was brought in to cover some Franklin/Fulton children. Heather Cordell was also brought back to help the SCs with Early Intervention Provider Meeting Wednesday, April 19, 2023 reports. This will help the others be out more seeing families instead of spending time on reports. Heather Cordell will not have a caseload. SAM interviewed someone this week that may accept the position but only part-time. She has a teaching degree and early childhood background/experience. Holly will update everyone as she learns more. If you are unsure who the SC is of a child, please reach out to Holly or Jenn. Fiscal Updates  Billing An email came out from Ashley McCartney. She is no longer the IDD/EI Fiscal Officer. The position is currently vacant so for the time being, Ashley is still helping to cover billing for EI. If you have any billing questions, voids, errors, etc., please continue to email Ashley and Jenn. Jenn downloads the billing and remittance advices (RAs) then Ashley processes it on the county side with the Controller’s. She will then still send the RAs to the providers. EI now has a fiscal email address – eifiscal@franklincountypa.gov. If you have any other EI fiscal related questions, such as not receiving payment or contract questions, please use this email address. Several staff from fiscal will then receive this, such as Stacy Rowe, Human Services Fiscal Manager, who is currently filling in for EI fiscal duties. Please be sure you are consistently billing by the 15th of each month.  2023-2024 Contract Timelines Jenn thanked the providers for submitting their contract documents. On the county side, we are waiting on a few changes to be made and approval from our solicitor. Jenn will be reaching out to everyone in the near future to let them know contracts will be coming for signatures. If you have any questions regarding contracts, please reach out to Jenn. Progress Monitoring According to EI regulations, we are only required to review Individual Family Support Plan (IFSP) every six (6) months or more frequently, if necessary. However, Franklin/Fulton continues to request the Program Monitoring Outcome Summary (PMOS) documentation quarterly. We still request that at the three (3), six (6), nine (9) and annual timeframes that we still get the program monitoring reports. Service Coordinators will try to meet with families at three (3) and nine (9) months; with a team meeting occurring at the six (6) month timeframe. Occasionally, SCs will try to meet when a service provider is going out with the family but that’s not a time when we have our large team meetings which is why the progress monitoring documentation is so important. If there is a change that is needed with an outcome or a child is progressing well and they feel it could be time for discharge for that service, that is where the documentation and communication with the provider and SC is really important. The six (6) month time frame is when a team meeting should be and is occurring. Service providers can be expecting SCs to reach out to them to try to do a team meeting. The SCs try to get as many together as they can with the understanding that not everyone may be able to. Early Intervention Provider Meeting Wednesday, April 19, 2023 There has been some requests to have full team meetings at the three (3) and nine (9) months but that is not necessarily a requirement. Staff should communicate through progress monitoring documentation, emails, calls or texts with the SCs so they are aware of any changes. Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Jenn has not received the finalized QEP back yet. She has reached out to Wendy, EI Advisory from the Office of Child Developmental and Early Learning (OCDEL) to see when this may be received. Jenn will go over the QEP at the July meeting if it is back. Our QEP derived from the Determination Summary. This occurs annually in about January. The Determination Summary is based off multiple things that occurred in the fiscal year, such as data (14 day forms), meeting deadlines (evaluations and annuals), information that families provide on the family surveys, etc. This year there are several categories –  Strengthening Partnerships – o Family Engagement – met requirements o Community Partnerships – needs assistance  Shared Leadership – o Compliance – met requirements o Data Quality – met requirements o Program Management – needs assistance  Systemic Implementation of Evidence Based Practices – o Child Progress - met requirements o Supports in Early Childhood Programs/Natural Environments – met requirements In 2021 and 2022 determinations, requirements were met for all areas. Under Strengthening Partnerships –  We received all the points for family engagement. Jenn reviewed the determination data elements as well as the criteria and program performance. Jenn thanked everyone for helping get the surveys completed.  We received one area that we did not meet requirements under community partnerships. Jenn reviewed the determination data elements as well as the criteria and program performance. o The one area that we needed to put into the QEP was the family survey data – helped me to connect with other programs and/or non-EI services that met our family’s needs, interests and goals. We were at 94% and we needed 95% or above. Sometimes when families are filling out the survey and they didn’t need more resources, they may mark it more negatively instead of marking it N/A or leaving it blank. We do not want to coach families on completing the family survey but you can give them reminders and have conversations about it. o Another area that we did not meet the requirement was the family survey data – encouraged me to connect with other families. We were at 70.96% and we needed 82% or above. Jenn believes we are connecting families to supports but if a family doesn’t request it or need it then may mark it differently instead of leaving it blank. If they leave it blank, it does not go against us. Early Intervention Provider Meeting Wednesday, April 19, 2023 Under Shared Leadership –  We reached all of our program performance goals in compliance and data quality. Jenn reviewed the determination data element, program performance and criteria. o A question was asked about the Early Childhood Outcomes (ECO) program performance number and whether that meant ECOs were not being completed. When we do not have an exit ECO, Holly closes them out and sends an email to the SCs to reach out to the provider. Holly is not concerned about this number as we are doing what is required. If we have children or families that at the six (6) month mark are not available anymore, a service provider can complete it with the knowledge they have. Most providers do not discharge a kid without the exit ECO so the number listed appeared to be low.  Most requirements were met under program management except for two (2). There were a couple of staff who did not meet all the training hours or required OCDEL trainings. The family survey data – told me about opportunities to be involved in improving the local EI program was not met. Every family should have said yes that they had the opportunity because they were filling out the family survey. Providers should inform families that filling out the survey helps guide EI services. Families giving their feedback to SCs and providers is guiding how are our services are going. This is one area inserted in the QEP. Under Systemic Implementation of Evidence Based Practices –  We reached all of our program performance goals in child progress and support in early childhood programs/natural environments. Jenn reviewed the determination data element, program performance and criteria. Please review the PowerPoint handout for additional detail on the Determination Summary. Service Delivery: Coaching Across Settings Updates Jenn asked everyone to send her the Coaching Across Settings tracking form. Jenn gathered the information to review and break down to see where we are at and where we might need to continue with some of the training. This is the process of how Franklin/Fulton is going to go through getting everyone to know about coaching across settings and next steps for us on how we can get more people more in depth training and reaching fidelity. Jenn reviewed the following data from the tracking form –  There was a total of 61 providers from within each agency that completed the form. o There are 64% (39 respondents) that receive the Coaching Corner subscription. o There were 80% (49 respondents) that did the EI Service Delivery course. o There were 67% (41 respondents) that did the Family Guided Routine Based Intervention (FGRBI) course. o There were 10% (6 respondents) that did the Supporting Adult Learners course. This is a new course on the portal. o There were 7% (4 respondents) who did the PA Videos. These are the five (5) short videos that all would need to be watched to review 30 minutes of training time. o There were 5% (3 respondents) that are going through the Installation phase. o There is one (1) person who has completed the Installation phase but has not reached fidelity yet. o There are two (2) or 3% that have reached fidelity as an EI Coach. Early Intervention Provider Meeting Wednesday, April 19, 2023 Holly (SAM), Lauren (Moving Mountains), Krista (PTS) and Jenn will be attending the OCDEL Policy Form on Coaching Across Settings in May. The hope is to learn from OCDEL on how they want people to move forward and be trained. Jenn will provide updates at the July Meeting. Lauren asked about the new session note that is being piloted and when the paper copy will be available. Jenn received an email about it but it has not been sent out yet as she is not sure if they are going to have everyone using it or not. Jenn is hoping to gather more information at the policy forum on this. She did sign up to receive boxes of those session notes. OCDEL revamped the session notes. Jenn thought it was just for providers who reached fidelity as it aligns more with the FGRBI coaching and documenting that. Jenn needs to gather more information on all of this. Please continue to use the current session notes either electronically or paper copy. Trainings  Writing High-Quality IFSP Outcomes – May 4 Some staff may have already taken this training with other counties. If you have a staff member who provides services in Franklin/Fulton and another county and they have taken this training with an Early Intervention Technical Assistance (EITA) Consultant (not the one on the portal), they do not need to attend as it will be the same information. If they have not previously taken it, Jenn is requesting they attend this training. Training Information -  Thursday, May 4 from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm  Community Center at Norlo Park - 3050 Lincoln Way East, Fayetteville, PA 17222  Enter off of Lincoln Way by the Barn and the Community Center is located just behind the Barn. If you are aware of which staff will be attending or how many, please let Jenn know. Jenn does not believe there is a way to have this training recorded for those who are unable to attend. However, if another county has recorded the training from EITA they could watch that training.  Coaching Across Settings Jenn showed an image that includes the information on the EITA portal regarding Coaching Across Settings which was gathered on the tracking spreadsheet. If you have anyone who has not completed the training, please have them do so. https://www.eita-pa.org/coaching-across-settings/  Reminders about EITA Portal trainings We still have the ECO Training recording provided by Mary Anketell in the fall. We did transition meetings with Tuscarora Intermediate Unit (TIU) and Lincoln Intermediate Unit (LIU). If you would like to watch those trainings, please reach out to Jenn. The EITA Annual Training Series 2022-23 (eita-pa.org) is available. It only covers some of the annual training topics so please make sure staff are getting the other topics as well. Early Intervention Provider Meeting Wednesday, April 19, 2023 Additional Updates Jenn sent out the EI Provider Roster. Please make sure to send Jenn any updates. Provider Reports Due Prior to the Next Meeting  Audited Financial Report for calendar year ending 12/31 – June 30  Audit Engagement/Extension Letter for FY ending 6/30 – July 10  Progress Report on Outcomes in Appendix A (not required for contracts with an encumbrance under $50,000) – July 31  Staff training records completed in the Provider Registry – August 1  Schedule of Revenues/Expenditures for FY ending 6/30 (for non-state-set rates) – August 15  Property Purchased/Property Leased Report for FY ending 6/30 (for non-state-set rates) – August 15  Fixed Assets Purchased with MH/IDD/EI Funds for FY ending 6/30 (for non-state-set rates) – August 15  Monthly Billing – due 15th of each month  Employee Debarment and Exclusion Check – due 15th of each month Reminders of these reports are sent out 3-4 weeks prior to their due date. You can also review the reports/due dates in procedure statement MHIDEI-416 Contract Required Reports and Due Dates. Next Meeting: Wednesday, July 12, 2023 starting at 10:00 a.m. Franklin County Ag Heritage Building - 185 Franklin Farm Lane, Chambersburg, PA 17202 Jenn will also provide a Google Meet link for those who are unable to attend in person. Remaining 2023 Meeting Dates: October 18th Minutes by Erin Nye